Seed planter

ABSTRACT

A seed planter for placing seed units, i.e., a single seed or a multiple seed packet, into the ground individually at zero ground speed, and at precise spacing and to desired depth. The planter includes a conveyor with pockets, each pocket to receive a single seed unit as the belt passes by a hopper. The seed depositing portion of the conveyor is in rolling or crawling ground engagement and a pusher assembly comprising a wheel or another belt moves along with the seed depositing portion so that a series of protuberances on the pusher assembly enter into the pockets to force the seeds into the ground.

p PAIENTED FEB e Isn SHEET 1 UF `3 INVENTOK WILLIAM J. ADAMS ,JR.

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ATTORNEYS PATENTE!) FEB 915m` SHEET 3 UF 3 umm INVENTOR. WILLIAM J.ADAMS,JR.

ATTO R N EYS SEED PLANTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to a seed planter, and more particularly, to a device forplacing seeds into the ground individually at zero ground speed, and atdesired spacings and depths.

Other known types of seed planters include belts, wheels or the likewith pockets to receive seeds and drop them at defined intervals, butsuch devices are normally pulled along the ground by some vehicle withthe seeds being dropped as the wheel or conveyor passes above thedesired seeding location. However, the seed may bounce on the soil or adelivery chute, or otherwise be diverted from the precise spot in whichit is desired to be placed. Moreover, such devices generally do no morethan place the seed on the surface of the earth.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to place a seedindividually at a precise discreet spacing and at a desired depth.

It is a further object of this invention to singulate seed units andimplant them individually at zero ground speed for precisely controlledplacement;

SUMMARY oF THE INVENTION In carrying out this invention, I provide aconveyor which may be an endless belt extended between and around a pairof spaced wheels, one of which Vcarries the belt into rolling groundengagement. The belt contains one or more rows of holes or pockets sothat when the belt passes under a hopper a single seed or seed unit isreceived in a pocket. A vibrator may be provided to facilitate loadingthe belt. The seeds are held in their pockets until the belt is inground engagement, and since the belt is in rolling or crawlingengagement with the ground, each pocket is at zero ground speed. Apusher assembly carries a corresponding row of lugs or protuberanceswhich are aligned with the pockets and move along with them while theyare in ground engagement. D uring this synchronized movement, the lugsare extended into the pockets to push the seed out of the pocket andinto the ground to the desired depth. The pusher assembly may be aninner belt which is cammed outward to cause the protuberances to enterthe pocket while in ground engagement, or it rnay simply comprise lugson the ground engaging wheel.

Other objects of and advantages of this invention will become apparentfrom the description following when in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIG. l is a side elevation with parts broken away of a preferredembodiment of a seed planter including features of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial section view taken along line 2-2 of FIG.l and showing a feature of the seed planter;

FIG. 3 is a partial side view of another embodiment of this invention;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are schematic views of implanted seeds;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of another embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a partial section view showing a portion of a conveyoremployed in the embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIGS. 8 and 9are section views taken along lines 8-8 and 9-9,respectively, of FIG. 6; and

FIG. l is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 6; partially in sectionshowing another portion of the conveyor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. l thereis shown the preferred embodiment of this invention wherein the seeder10 comprises. a frame l2 on which a single belt 14 with pockets oropenings 16 is driven between a pair of wheels 18 and 20 as by means oftiming lugs 22 carried on the under surface of the belt 14 and engagingin grooves 24 on the wheels 18 and 20. The seed planter I0 may behitched to a tractor 26 and the belt I4 may be driven by any suitablemeans including simply ground engagement of the rear wheel 20. However,for purposes of illustration, we have shown a power takeoff 28 from thetractor drive (not shown) to drive the ground engaging wheel in timedrelation to the tractor 26. The belt I4 has preferably one, through itmay have more, rows of seed unit openings I6 from which seed units areinserted into the ground by means of lugs 30 carried directly on therear wheel 20. The lugs enter into the openings 16 after the belt 14traverses a retaining shield 32 which prevents the seed units fromdropping out prematurely. If desired, the belt 14 may be made somewhatresilient so that it is compressed under'the weight of the rear wheel 20if deeper implantation is desired. Alternately, the planting depth maybe controlled by the lengths ofthe lugs 30. A vibrator 34 may beprovided below the belt l4 as it traverses below the hopper 36 in orderto facilitate loading of the bclt from the hopper v36 which is coveredat 37. A second shield 38 is provided under the belt 14 below the hopper36 so that the seeds do not drop completely through the openings I6.Also, a plowlike shoe 38 is provided to smooth out the seed bed.

Referring now to FIG. 3 there is shown a modified planter 10a wherein aweighted roller 40 is rotatably mounted on the frame 12a in advance ofthe rear wheel 20 in order to compact the soil in advance of seedimplantation. The amount of compaction is indicated by the dimension X.

Although this invention is not so limited, the seeds S are preferablyencapsulated with materials to improve germination and, if desired, mayinclude fertilizers, fungicides or the like. Further in this connection,the term seed" or seed unit" as used herein is intended to embrace aseed capsule or package which may also contain additives as abovedescribed, and which may also contain a multiplicity of seeds within asingle capsule. Since the seed units are forced into the ground whilethe belt is in rolling contact therewith, the seeds are at zero groundspeed as they are implanted, and precise spacing is thus accuratelycontrolled. As previously mentioned, the depth of planting may becontrolled by the lengths of the lugs 30 or by the resilience of thebelt 14. Experimentation has shown that there is an improved rate ofgermination when an encapsulated seed is planted within the appropriaterange of depths shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Referring now to FIG. 6, another form of seed planter 46 includes aframe 48 on which is rotatably carried a pair of beltdriving wheels 50and 52 between and around which are carried a pair of endless belts 54and 56. The planting vehicle 46 may be propelled along the ground withthe belts functioning in the nature of an endless belt crawler, whenpulled by any suitable means such as a tractor, the rear wheel 58 ofwhich is shown. TheV seed planting vehicle 46 may be attached to thetractor by a typical tool bar 60. The endless belts 54 and 56 may bedriven by direct rolling contact with the ground or they may be drivenby a suitable positive drive 62 from a prime mover such as an auxiliaryground driven wheel 64', the drive connection being so designed that therearward speed of the belts 54 and 56 equals the forward speed of theplanting vehicle 46. Also, as in the embodiment of FIG. l lugs may beprovided on the inner surface of the belt 54 to engage drive grooves 52ain the wheel 52. Also carried on the frame 48 is a seed hopper 64 withsidewalls 65 and front and rear walls 66 and 67, the lower ends of whichare closely adjacent the belt 56 to prevent the inadvertent escape ofseeds. A cover 68 may also be provided to enclose the seeds S.

As shown more clearly in FIGS. 7 to l0, the outer belt 56 has one ormore rows of openings or pockets 70, each of which is of a size justlarge enough to accept one seed S as it passes below the open bottom ofthe hopper 64. As is apparent in FIG. l0, the inner and outer belts 54and 56 must be driven in unison in order to insure insertion of the lugs72 on the inner belt 54 into the pockets 70 in the outer belt 56 to pushthe seeds S into the ground G. This is accomplished by providing for atleast partial engagement of the lugs 72 in the pockets 70 at all times.Nonnally, the belts 54 and 56 are separated by the resilient pad drivingthe outer belt 56 on a separate, larger sprocket 50a (FIG. 8), but whenthe belts move into ground engagement as shown in FIGS. 6 and 10 a cam74 carried on the vehicle frame 48 forces the inner belt 54 toward theouter belt S6, causing the lugs 72 to protrude through the openings 70while the openings are at zero ground speed and forcing the seeds S intothe ground to the desired depth. As shown in FIG. 9, final and firmimplantation is accomplished by the trailing ground engaging wheel 52which is preferably provided with a wide rim to distribute the forceover the width of the belt 54.

As the belts S4 and 56 move under the hopper 64 (FIG. 7) they may bejoggled by a suitable vibrating device 76 which is supported on theframe 48 and is effective to facilitate loading the outer belt 56 with asingle seed unit S in each pocket 70. Then as the outer belt continuesforwardly from under the hopper in the direction of the arrows (FIGS. 6and 7) it passes closely adjacent to the lower edge of the front hopperwall 66 so that any seeds which are not contained within the pockets areremoved from the belt.

Thereafter, the belts pass under and then traverse over a guard 78 whichprevents the seeds from falling until the outer belt 56 is in crawlingengagement with the ground. After the belts traverse the guard 78 theseeds S are supported on the ground and are progressively insertedtherein, again as shown .in FIG, l0. Preferably a plowlike shoe 80,which may be a for ward extension of the guard 78, is carried at thefront of the vehicle 46 in order to smooth the surface of the ground andprf pare the seed bed and to push clods aside.

While this invention has been described in conjunction with preferredembodiments thereof it is obvious that modifications and changes thereinmay be made by those skilled in the art without departing from thespirit and scope of this invention as defined by the claims appendedhereto.

l claim:

l. A seed planter comprising: a seed hopper having an opening in thebottom thereof, a ground-engaging conveyor movable adjacent to thebottom of said hopper past said opening before engaging the ground, saidconveyor comprising an endless belt between and around a pair of wheels,said belt engaging the ground in rolling contact under one of saidwheels, and including a second endless belt extending between and aroundsaid wheels within said conveyor belt, means defining a row of openpockets in said conveyor, adapted to receive seeds from said hopper,means for retaining seeds in said pockets until said pockets are inseeding disposition with the opening therein engaging the ground, aseries of protuberances on said second belt aligned with the pockets insaid conveyor belt, and means biasing a portion of said second hclttoward said conveyor belt to force said protuberances into said pocketswhile in seeding disposition.

2. ln a seed planter, the combination comprising, a pair of endlessbelts comprising an outer belt and an inner belt, said outer belt havinga plurality of pockets therein and said inner belt having a plurality oflugs, means to mount said belts for rotation with one portion of theouter belt at any instant engaging the ground for rolling contacttherewith and with thc lugs on the inner belt entering the pockets inthe ground engaging portion of the outer belt, means to deposit seeds inthe pockets of the outer belt, and means to hold the seeds in saidpockets until the portion of the belt with said pockets reaches theground.

3. ln a seed planter, the combination comprising a pair of wheels, atleast one of said wheels engaging the ground for rolling contacttherewith, a pair of endless belts mounted on said wheels, one insidethe other, the outer belt having a plurality of pockets therein and saidinner belt having a plurality of protuberances thereon, saidprotuberances entering said pockets as the belts pass under theground-engaging wheel, means to deposit seeds -in said pockets of theouter pockets of the outer belt, and means to hold the seeds in saidpockets until the portion of the belt with said seeded pockets reachesthe ground.

4. ln a seed planter, the combination comprising a pair of wheels, atleast one of said wheels engaging the ground for rolling contacttherewith, a pair of endless belts mounted on said wheels, one insidethe other, and defining an upper run and lower run, the outer belthavingfa plurality of o penin s and the inner belt having a plurality olugs in registration wi said pockets, the lugs supporting seedsdeposited in the openings on the upper run and the lugs ejecting seedsfrom the openings as the belts pass under the groundengaging wheel,means to deposit seeds in the openings on the upper run, and means tohold the seeds in said openings until the portion of the outer belt withsaid seeded openings reaches the ground.

5. The seed planter of claim 4 including a cam inside the belts andmounted along the lower run thereof to urge the lugs of the inner beltinto meshing relationship with the openings of the outer belt.

` ig-g F UMTED STATES Puma OFFICE Y A CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTON 3,561.380 Dated Eepmry 9. 1911 Inventor(s) WILLIAM J- ADAMS: JL.

Patent No.

It is certified that error appeas in the above-identified patent andthat seid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

VCol. l, line 43, delete "of" (first occurrence) line 44,

Col. 4, line 14, before "pockets" insert seeded signed and sealedthis18th dey of January 1972.A

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. Attest-,ing Officer v 'ROBERT GDTTSQHALK ActingCommissioner of Patents

1. A seed planter comprising: a seed hopper having an opening in thebottom thereof, a ground-engaging conveyor movable adjacent to thebottom of said hopper past said opening before engaging the ground, saidconveyor comprising an endless belt between and around a pair of wheels,said belt engaging the ground in rolling contact under one of saidwheels, and including a second endless belt extending between and aroundsaid wheels within said conveyor belt, means defining a row of openpockets in said conveyor, adapted to receive seeds from said hopper,means for retaining seeds in said pockets until said pockets are inseeding disposition with the opening therein engaging the ground, aseries of protuberancEs on said second belt aligned with the pockets insaid conveyor belt, and means biasing a portion of said second belttoward said conveyor belt to force said protuberances into said pocketswhile in seeding disposition.
 2. In a seed planter, the combinationcomprising, a pair of endless belts comprising an outer belt and aninner belt, said outer belt having a plurality of pockets therein andsaid inner belt having a plurality of lugs, means to mount said beltsfor rotation with one portion of the outer belt at any instant engagingthe ground for rolling contact therewith and with the lugs on the innerbelt entering the pockets in the ground engaging portion of the outerbelt, means to deposit seeds in the pockets of the outer belt, and meansto hold the seeds in said pockets until the portion of the belt withsaid pockets reaches the ground.
 3. In a seed planter, the combinationcomprising a pair of wheels, at least one of said wheels engaging theground for rolling contact therewith, a pair of endless belts mounted onsaid wheels, one inside the other, the outer belt having a plurality ofpockets therein and said inner belt having a plurality of protuberancesthereon, said protuberances entering said pockets as the belts passunder the ground-engaging wheel, means to deposit seeds in said pocketsof the outer pockets of the outer belt, and means to hold the seeds insaid pockets until the portion of the belt with said seeded pocketsreaches the ground.
 4. In a seed planter, the combination comprising apair of wheels, at least one of said wheels engaging the ground forrolling contact therewith, a pair of endless belts mounted on saidwheels, one inside the other, and defining an upper run and lower run,the outer belt having a plurality of openings and the inner belt havinga plurality of lugs in registration with said pockets, the lugssupporting seeds deposited in the openings on the upper run and the lugsejecting seeds from the openings as the belts pass under theground-engaging wheel, means to deposit seeds in the openings on theupper run, and means to hold the seeds in said openings until theportion of the outer belt with said seeded openings reaches the ground.5. The seed planter of claim 4 including a cam inside the belts andmounted along the lower run thereof to urge the lugs of the inner beltinto meshing relationship with the openings of the outer belt.